Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1887-10-26
Trapping q Bushwhacksr.

blooded murder was more frequent
occurrence than picket-fring. My
regiment was for month stationed
at blind ford up the Rappahannock,
and while the Confederate soldiers
seemed willing enough to leave us
alone, the bushwhackers appeared de-
termined to kill us off, These men
were not always rebels and farmers.
have no doubt that hundreds of Un-
ion soldiers were bushwhacked during
the war by the hangers.on of our own
army, and for the purpose Of robbery.
One of our river picket-posts was
in thick piece Of woods. Here the
reserve picket took up its quarters and
sent men up and down the shore for
a mile in either direction. The last
post on our right flank would have
connected with the last post on the
left flank Of New York regiment
but for strip Of swamp about a
quarter of mile wide, which thrust
itself down to the river. This swamp
was full of water at the time, and
while no post could be maintained
there it was believed no enemy could
take advantage of it. We had not
been on duty week, however, when
the man ON that post for the middle
of the night was found dead, stabbed
to the heart. We had just been paid
off before coming down, and as he
had been robbed of his money his
death was not laid to the Confederates.
Two nights later second man was
killed and robbed. For the next
three nights two men were put on the
post and all was quiet. Then one
was taken off, and the same night the
single man was killed.
was at this time an orderly for the
Colonel of the regiment, and of course
heard more or less of the headquarter
talk over the bloody incidents. 1t was
certain that no rebels had crossed the
stream for the sake of killing the
picket on one single post, and there
were no farmers inside our lines. 1t
was reasoned, therefore, that some one
about our own camp was the guilty
wretch. He did not care to approach
the post when there were two men,
and while this doubling up might
have prevented further murders the
Colonel was anxious to do something
to trap the fellow. / heard him and
two or three captains talking the mat
ter over, and at once asked to be de-
tailed to the post. l had a scheme to
work, and when it was unfolded to
them it was agreed that l should have
chance to carry it out. AS man
had been killed the night before by a
stab in the back, it was arranged to
double the post for two nights and
then let me 60 on alone. This gave
me the chance to 60 over the ground,
and l was not long in discovering
that the supposed impossible swamp
could be easily threaded. Indeed !
found plenty of proofs that some one
had made his way across it several
times in the same track, coming every
time from the direction of the New
York regiment.
AS every one of our men had been
stabbed, reasoned that the assassin
must be sly and nervy fellow. At
the picket post was a large tree with
branches that not only grew low down
but spread out and made good shell
ter from the bleak winds and snow
squalls. As near as could come at
it, all the men took up their positions
under this tree. The river was be-
fore them. but they could not have
seen ten feet into the dark woods be-
hind. The noise of the wind among
he dead leaves and branches would
also serve to dcaden other sounds
around them. During the afternoon
of the night was to 60 on, got
uniform down into the woods, stuffed
it with straw, and when I went on du.
ty / tied this sham man to the trunk
of the tree with his back to the swamp.
Then l climbed into the tree with
revolver in my hand and waited.
/ went on at 10 o'clock and was not
to be relieved before 2. Fortunately
for my situation it was mild though
cloudy evening, with the wind coming
now and again in gusts. At such times
a troop of horse could have come
through the woods without my hearing
them. did not depend on my sense
of hearing at all, but with cooked re-
volver in hand sat on limb seven or
eight feet above my dummy and
watched him. 1t was just half past
IL when suddenly made out dark
mass on the ground creeping upon the '
dummy. I had hardly seen it before
it rose up and plunged a knife into
the man of straw, striking him be-
tween the shoulders. At the same
moment / opened FIRE, and / kept it
up until the revolver was empty. The
unknown went down with the first